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	Painkiller ABT-594 from Frog Poison from the skin of a South American frog has led to a new painkiller more powerful than morphine yet free of morphine's side effects. The new painkiller, ABT-594, has already been tested on animals. According to Science News it is now being tested on humans in Europe. ABT-594, made by Abbott Laboratories in Chicago, seems many times more powerful than morphine. It does not impair breathing nor cause constipation. Animals showed no signs of addiction. The drug seems to be effective for as long as it is used. Researchers developed ABT-594 when scientists at the National Institutes of Health found that a poison from a frog blocked pain 200 times more effectively than morphine. Locks onto nicotine receptors The frog (Epibpedobates tricolor) is found in Ecuador. Poison in its skin protects it from predators. The poison as such is too toxic to be used as a painkiller for humans. NIH scientists discovered that the poison is like nicotine. After they published a diagram of its chemical structure, Abbott researchers saw that it resembled a set of drugs they were testing for Alzheimer's disease. Like the frog poison, these drugs affect nicotine receptors on nerve cells. The drug that Abbott selected from this group, ABT-594, is close to the frog poison (which in honor of the frog is called epibatidine). But it is not poisonous. In the USA, 30 to 40 million people, many of them cancer patients, depend on morphine. This new drug looks very promising for treating these patients. Science News magazine for Jan. 24, 1998, p.63 says that in Europe Abbott is testing the drug on humans. Contact: Stephen P. Arneric Abbot Laboratories Pharmaceutical Products Division Neurological and Urological Diseases Research Abbott Park, IL 60064-3500 *Abbott's* research was published in Science* Jan 2 1998:* "Broad-spectrum, non-opiod analgesic activity by selective modulation of neuronal nicotonic acetylcoline receptors." Science 279:77 Jan 1998. Science is available on the Web by subscription. For help with pain visit our Pain Management Links Fond of frogs? If you're in the mood, visit the Save Our Frogs page at Frogland (home of the frog on this page). To contact us or report problems with pages E-mail [email protected] May 20. 1998. Modified December 26, 1998 PSA Rising prostate cancer survivor news http://www.psa-rising.com ©1998-1999

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Painkiller ABT-594 from Frog

Poison from the skin of a South American frog has led to a new painkiller more powerful than morphine yet free of morphine's side effects. The new painkiller, ABT-594, has already been tested on animals. According to Science News it is now being tested on humans in Europe.
ABT-594, made by Abbott Laboratories in Chicago, seems many times more powerful than morphine. It does not impair breathing nor cause constipation. Animals showed no signs of addiction. The drug seems to be effective for as long as it is used.
Researchers developed ABT-594 when scientists at the National Institutes of Health found that a poison from a frog blocked pain 200 times more effectively than morphine.

Locks onto nicotine receptors
The frog (Epibpedobates tricolor) is found in Ecuador. Poison in its skin protects it from predators. The poison as such is too toxic to be used as a painkiller for humans.
     NIH scientists discovered that the poison is like nicotine. After they published a diagram of its chemical structure, Abbott researchers saw that it resembled a set of drugs they were testing for Alzheimer's disease. Like the frog poison, these drugs affect nicotine receptors on nerve cells.
     The drug that Abbott selected from this group, ABT-594, is close to the frog poison (which in honor of the frog is called epibatidine). But it is not poisonous.
     In the USA, 30 to 40 million people, many of them cancer patients, depend on morphine. This new drug looks very promising for treating these patients.

Science News magazine for Jan. 24, 1998, p.63 says that in Europe Abbott is testing the drug on humans.

Contact: Stephen P. Arneric
Abbot Laboratories
Pharmaceutical Products Division
Neurological and Urological Diseases Research
Abbott Park, IL 60064-3500

Abbott's research was published in Science Jan 2 1998:
"Broad-spectrum, non-opiod analgesic activity by selective modulation of neuronal nicotonic acetylcoline receptors." Science 279:77 Jan 1998. Science is available on the Web by subscription.

For help with pain visit our Pain Management Links

Fond of frogs? If you're in the mood, visit the Save Our Frogs page at Frogland (home of the frog on this page).

To contact us or report problems with pages E-mail
[email protected]

May 20. 1998. Modified December 26, 1998

Need help for pain?
check
Pain Control Links